Monday, December 13, 2010

The Season



When I was a little boy, we often spoke German at home. The Christmas Carols (and Georg Friedrich Händel's Messiah) are best to me when sung in German. Call it a cultural thing, harkening back to those days when the world was still full of wonder.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Thoughts on Free Speech

Political correctness does not legislate tolerance; it only organizes hatred.

Political correctness is the enemy of freedom of speech. What began as a crusade for civility has ended in a situation where one is never quite sure of the politically correct buzzword of the moment. I've found in my brief life that politically correctness seems to hover most closely around pressure groups and political organizing. There are demands and counter-demands by the politically sensitive that have devolved into a situation where almost everyone (irrespective of what their orientation is in the politically correct world) is a racist, a bigot, experiences some degree of Islamophobia, is a sexist, uninformed (stupid) and so forth.

The US Military exists to kill people and break things when Congress or the President (sometimes both) decide that it's time to do that. It's not a tool for social engineering. Don't ask, don't tell (DADT) is poised to make sexual preference an entitlement and "protected class" of people, the same as race, religion, physical disability, etc. Arguments over politically correct language in this regard devolved and soured into arguments over what is “offensive” and, even worse, censorship. 

I discussed World War 2 with my daughters recently and mentioned America's enemy, the Empire of Japan. In discussing a tactical move made by that enemy, I called them, "the Japs". My daughters collectively sucked in their breath and informed me that calling Japanese people "Japs" reached a new low in political insensitivity. I never knew that. Nobody ever told me. I'm glad they never told my father, who was wounded in combat at Okinawa when a kamikazi aircraft, piloted by a "Japanese pilot" (my dad would have said, "a Jap") crashed into the USS Hazelwood and all but sank it.

At times I use insensitive language toward America's enemies - in that I don't take their feelings into account when I discuss them. If they were present, they'd likely try to kill me not because I called them names they didn't like - they'd try to kill me because of my nationality. And this is my point. Political correctness always seems to go in ONE direction and never in both directions. It doesn't create a situation that changes anything - and usually mocks tolerance.



Saturday, December 4, 2010

Don't forget Festivus on Dec 23

With the Holiday Season already upon us, some of you may be forgetting Festivus.  When I send out "Season's Greetings" cards out, they include Festivus, though not explicitly stated in the pre-printed card. The cards are often manufactured by people who are not Festivus believers. The holiday, which is actually more valid than Kwanzaa because it's older, was created by Dan O'Keefe, and introduced to the world by his son, Dan jr., a screenwriter for the Seinfeld Television Show.

Festivus in Afghanistan

The celebration includes an unadorned aluminum pole, the Festivus pole (buy yours HERE). And yes, they are also available in Canada.

Festivus in America

You don't have to light one or more candles, you don't have to give gifts or song songs. Festivus is the time for airing of grievances and feats of strength. So if you're ticked off at a family member, please save it for Festivus. This is that special time where you can tell others in your family the ways in which they have disappointed you over the past year. After grievances are aired and counter-allegations are concluded, there is the Festivus meal - traditionally spaghetti and meat sauce. Once the filling spaghetti meal has concluded comes the time for a display of feats of strength. The head of household is wrestled to the floor and the holiday only ends when said head of household is pinned.

For a complete list of famous Festivus celebrations in popular culture, please scroll down the bottom here (LINK)


eat it!


Do you eat watermelon? Do you enjoy it's luscious velvety sweetness? Then try eating it like this.

Friday, December 3, 2010

living in the present means hope



For a friend who is having a rough day.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Who is the Leader of the Club?

Griffin visited with Mickey Mouse today.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Choice of Military Service

This comes to us by way of John Coffey, Navy veteran.

But when you REALLY think about it, why wouldn't people choose the NAVY?




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